Adjustable stud



Feb. 3,1970 w. R. ANDREWS ADJUSTABLE STUD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1968 INVENTOR. William R. Andrews ATTORNEYS. v

Feb. 3, 1970 w. R. ANDREWS ADJUSTABLE STUD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1968 INVENTOR. William R. Andrews WW ATTORNEYS.

w. R. ANDREWS ADJUSTABLE STUD Feb. 3, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1968 INVIENTOR. William R. Andrews KW! FM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent US. Cl. 52-36 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE A stud is composed of two members disposed in telescoped relation. Each member is channel shaped, and one member has a tab preferably in the web thereof which can be bent over to engage the end of the web of the outer member once the members have been longitudinally positioned with respect to one another.

In an alternate embodiment, the flanges and web of the outer member are specially formed for strength.

In a further alternate embodiment, the flanges of the outer member are formed to receive mounting means for laterally extending shelf supports. Means are provided for securing said mounting means to the flanges of said outer member.

Background of the invention This invention relates to structural members commonly known as studs used for construction of interior walls, particularly walls made of prefabricated materials such as wall board, dry wall panelling, wood paneling, and the like.

In the building industry, it is frequently necessary to compensate for differences in height between the floor and the ceiling. This is particularly true of partitions and other types of internal walls. Accordingly, it is desirable to have some means of adjusting the height of studs which are prefabricated in standard lengths.

Studs for walls used to support considerable loads, such as loaded shelves, must not only be adjustable but must also be of extra strong construction and preferably provide means for attaching and adjustably positioning the mounting means for the shelves.

It is further desirable to provide a stud which can readily accommodate the shelf supporting means without removing the stud from its erected position in the wall or partition.

Summary of the invention My invention fulfills the needs of the building trade as set forth above by providing a simple, effective means for adjusting the length of a prefabricated stud, comprising: a member forming the main body of the stud; and a second member slidably engaged with said first member to extend therefrom in the longitudinal direction, having a tab thereon which can be bent to engage said first member when the second member has been extended to the desired height and maintain the respective vertical positions of the parts.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the members are channel shaped; the second member being disposed within the first member; the tab being disposed in the web of the second member to be bent over the end of the web of the first member.

Where the stud is to be used for heavier structural purposes, a reinforced stud configuration is provided having a thickened web longitudinally corrugated and channeled side flanges. Further, modified L-members are provided to mount the shelf supporting means which are readily connectable to the outer portion of the channeled side flanges.

3,492,766 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an easily adjustable and structurally strong standard stud member for use in fabricating walls, partitions, and the like. It is a further object of this invention to provide such a stud which can readily be assembled by the use of ordinary hand tools.

A further object is to provide a new stud configuration giving added strength to prefabricated studs, and particularly to make such a stud readily adjustable.

A further object is to provide a means for attaching the mounting means for shelving to a reinforced stud in accordance with this invention.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure with reference to the drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective of a portion of a wall partially broken away showing studs in accordance with the preferred embodiments of my invention disposed in their normal, operative positions within the wall;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of a stud in accordance with one embodiment of my invention as viewed from the face of the wall shown in operative position within the wall; the wall being partially broken away;

FIG. 3 is a section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 33 in FIG. 1, showing a portion of one of the studs and the frame;

FIG. 4 is a section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 4-4 in FIG. 1 showing the stud and the adjoining portion of the wall, as well as the shelf mounting means; a portion of the shelf bracket being shown in phantom;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of a stud in accordance with one embodiment of my invention including a portion of the frame partially broken away and a portion of the shelf mounting means;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a stud in accordance with one embodiment of my invention showing the disposition of the stud with respect to the shelf mounting means, the support means therefore, the wall paneling, and the shelf bracket; the bracket being shown in phantom; and

FIG. 7 is a section of a stud in accordance with one embodiment of my invention, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows 77 in FIG. 1; the wall paneling being shown in phantom.

Description of the preferred embodiments Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in specific terms for the purpose of describing these forms of the invention, this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 7, I shall now describe the preferred embodiment of one form of my invention. The figures show a stud 10 made of light gauge structural steel of a type commonly used in the art. The stud is channel shaped in cross-section, and is preferably precut to any desired length. The channel consists of a web 11, side flanges 12 and 13 depending preferably perpendicular from the Web and parallel to one another in the same direction, and inwardly extending end flanges 14 and 15 depending preferably perpendicular from the side flanges toward one another and parallel to the web 11.

The standard stud 10 is designed to be used with a ceiling track 18 and a floor track 19. Each track is an open 'U-shaped channel member made of light gauge structural steel, of any type known in the art. The tracks are fixed in any suitable manner (not shown) to the ceiling and floor respectively wherever the partition or Wall is to be erected. If the floor to ceiling height coincides with the precut standard length of the stud 10, within acceptable tolerances, the stud is merely placed within the tracks, and the flanges of both tracks are crimped, as at 20, FIG. 1, to retain the stud in place. However, where adjustment is needed to extend the length of the standard stud so that it fits between and engages the ceiling and floor tracks, I have provided a novel adaptor 22. The adaptor is preferably channel shaped and is slightly smaller than the inner dimensions of the channel shaped stud 10, so that the adaptor fits within the stud 10, there being sliding surface contact between the flanges 24 and 25 of the adaptor 22 and the flanges 12 and 13 of the stud respectively. Thus, a sliding fit is provided. The web 23 of the adaptor has a tab 26 cut therein. The cut is preferably an inverted U-shape; the out being made through the plane of the web 23 so that the tab lies in the plane of the web when the adaptor is inserted into the stud. The upper end of the adaptor preferably has an end flange 27 forming a box shape with the flanges 24 and 25 and the web 23.

To assemble the stud with the tracks, the standard stud 10 is positioned in the lower track and crimped in place, with the adaptor already slidably disposed within the channel of the stud 10. The adaptor is then extended vertically upwardly past the end of the stud 10 until the upper end flange 27 engages the web of the ceiling track 18. The tab 26 is then bent outwardly over the edge of the stud 10 and folded downwardly against the outer surface of the web 11. The adaptor is then held in place by crimping the flanges of the ceiling track as at 30, FIG. 1.

To provide an easy means for gripping the tab 26 and folding it over the end of the stud 10, a small hole 28 on the order of of an inch in diameter is provided near the upper edge of the tab 26. The bending operation may be readily performed by the use of small hand tools.

The invention described above can be utilized with special heavy duty studs of the type used for supporting self-mounting means. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, I shall now describe such a special stud and its use with my adaptor. The stud 34 is generally I-shaped and comprises two members 35 and 36 with main web sections which are spot welded together. The web sections each have a longitudinal corrugation designated generally 35 which is preferably V-shaped. With the webs mated and welded the members form end flanges which are hat-shaped in cross-section as shown more clearly in FIG. 4. Each flange consists of a laterally extending leg 37 from which depends an outwardly extending, substantially perpendicular leg 38. The leg 38 terminates in an end portion 40, extending perpendicular thereto outwardly away from the main web of the stud. Each end portion 40 terminates in a flange 42 extending parallel to the legs 38 and depending perpendicular from the end portion back toward its opposite number on the same stud member 35, 36. Thus, the end flanges of the I-shaped special stud 34 resemble rimmed hat sections. This configuration provides greater strength and resistance to torque loads.

This construction can be used wtih the adaptor previously disclosed or with one similar to it, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Here the channel shaped adaptor 45 is slidably mounted between the end portions 40 of the stud, and the tab 46 is bent over the end of the stud 34 once the adaptor has been vertically positioned to the appropriate height. The ceiling flange 18 is crimped as at 31, to hold the stud in place. To give the adaptor added strength and provide additional means for fixing it within the ceiling channel, the upper flange 47 has an additional end portion 48 depending therefrom substantially parallel to the web of the adaptor. As shown, an additional crimp 32 can be placed in the ceiling channel to abut this additional end portion and retain it within ceiling channel.

The special stud just described is particularly adapted to support heavy loads such as the mounting means for shelves. A typical mounting means, as shown in FIG- URE 6, consists of a slotted standard 54 of generally U-shaped cross-sectional construction having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots at set intervals along the web. The slots 55 are designed to accept ears 57 and 58 on a standard bracket 56 and retain the bracket to support the load of the shelves. The slots provide an adjustable means whereby the bracket 56 may be moved to various vertical positions once the slotted standard 54 is fixed in place.

The hat section end flange in the special stud 34 is designed to receive the slotted standard for mounting. The standard which is a conventional purchased item of any similar type well-known in the art, is held in place by any suitable means as for instance by drilling and tapping the web of the hat section and inserting screws through drilled holes in the slotted standard into the tapped holes. I have provided an alternate means for mounting the standard on the stud which not only makes it easy to install, but also protects the edges of the wall panel; this latter feature being particularly helpful where the wall panel is plaster board, such as gypsum board or dry wall panelling. This alternate means consists of two support angles designated generally 66, each angle being essentially an L-shape in cross-section with an additional guide flange making the total configuration a Z-section, and includes a web 67 with oppositely depending flanges 68 and 69, extending perpendicular to the web. The longitudinal terminal edge of the flange 69 is the short leg of the L and preferably is rolled inwardly toward the web or long leg of the L to provide protection for the edge of the wall board. The webs 67 are fixedly connected to the slotted standard by any suitable means such as spot welding as shown in FIG. 4. The flanges with the rolled edges are disposed to face outwardly and are spaced apart to provide access for the bracket 56 to the slots 55. The spacing is generally determined by the width of the hat shaped flange on the stud 34 so that the additional guide flanges 68 slip over the flanges 42 on the stud. Clearance holes are provided along the web of each support angle as at 72.

The overall height of the support angles and slotted standards is somewhat less than the height of the special stud 34, as shown in FIG. 2, for most installations, thus allowing a number of shelving units to be placed at various positions upon a wall.

One the location of the shelving unit is determinated, the mounting holes in the support angles serve as guides for drilling the end portions 40 of stud 34, for screws which are ultimately placed therein to retain the support angles and the slotted standard connected to it. Subsequent to placing the support angles in position, the wall panels are placed against the web of the support angles and affixed thereto by any suitable means such as screws (not shown).

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangement of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of this invention, maybe made by those skilled in the art.

For example, the adaptor may be used with other types of studs having different configurations than those disclosed in the present application as long as there is a. clearance spaced provided between the upper end of the stud and the ceiling channel. Further, where it is desired to remove the slotted standard, and shelf brackets, the wall board can be unscrewed and the support angles readily removed, and then the wall board replaced flush against the stud. Or, for that matter, any other type of paneling could be replaced against the stud without destroying the integrity of the wall, or the positioning of the stud within the wall. Also, self-tapping screws can be used where the gauge of metal permits.

What is claimed is:

1. A stud, comprising: a first member; and a second member channel shaped in the longitudinal direction slidably engaged with said first member, said second member having a web therein, said web having a tab therein bendable to engage said first member to fix the sliding relationship between said members in at least one direction, said tab having a hole therein closer to the free end thereof, than to the portion thereof attached to said web.

2. A stud, comprising: a first member which is substantially an I-beam wherein the web of said -I-beam has a longitudinal corrugation therein, said first member being formed of two members, each member forming a portion of each end flange and one face of said web, said members being joined at the web and the flanges of said members providing a means for receiving means for mounting shelf brackets, said means for mounting shelf brackets including a standard and angled support means fixedly attached to said standard and removably afiixed to one of said flanges; said stud having a second member slidably engaged with said first member, said second member having tab means thereon bendable to engage said first mem- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,426 10/1940 Hurlbert 52-726 X 2,796,158 6/1957 Miles et al. 5236 X 3,033,330 5/1962 Fowles et al 52122 X 3,193,885 7/1965 Gartner et al 5236 3,288,489 11/1966 Jahn 52726 X 3,305,981 2/1967 Biggs et al. 5236 3,407,547 10/1968 Doke et al. 52-36 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner P. C. FAW, ]R., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 52-122, 632, 729 

